Misnamed Dogs

[Richard Crowe]

I know that the Doodle rescue folks are always looking through the various shelters to find doodles which may be called, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Poodles or just about any darn thing including Wheaton Terriers.

 

You would think that it is easier for us in Maltese Rescue to find the Maltese and Maltese mix dogs in various shelters.  It's not all that easy.

 

I drove from Escondido, California to Hesperia, California (well over a hundred miles) to pick up what was called by the shelter, "A year old Maltese female".  When I arrived there, I was handed this ball of matted fur which I knew wasn't a Maltese, nor was it a female.  I questioned the shelter workers to ensure that this dog was actually the one on their website.  "Yes it is!", I was told and the picture of the non-descript dog was the dog I came up there to get!

 

The little guy (it wasn't a female) looked up and kissed me.  There was no way that I would tyrn him back to the shelter because they would probably have put him down.  Anyway, the dog turned out to be a terrier mix which out vet said was several years old.  That is how the American Maltese Rescue became the foster of Rudy...

Rudy is a nice dog and as a foster, didn't cause any commotion in our home.  It didn't take us long before we found this terrier a furever home.

 

The opposite thing happened today.  We found an inmate in one of the Los Angeles shelter who was listed as a 3-year old terrier.  From the picture, we knew that he was either a Maltese or a Maltese + Poodle mix.  One of our volunteers pulled him from teh shelter and took him to one of the vets we use in the L.A. area.  The vet confirmed that he was a Maltese but that the little guy was only about seven months old.

 

Both  Maltese (including Maltese mixes) and doodles are quite popular and probably, if identofoed correctly, would not be shelter inmates for very long.  If they were identfied correctly, Doodle Rescue or maltese rescue would pull them, if they were not adopted first.

 

It is unfortunate that shelters cannot be more accurate in listing their dogs.  It is actually a life and death factor for the dogs.

 

 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I feel your pain! I search through PF and other sites for doodles which can be listed as Italian Spinones, OES dogs, one was posted as a Greyhound/poodle mix, Irish Wolfhound mix. It would save hours of searching if those doing the posting know what they are posting. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

JD was actually mistaken for a Spinone yesterday, and it was the second time this month! 

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

JD looks NOTHING like spumoni:

hehehe

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

LOL, Amy!

[Debi and Monty Moose]

Richard, I did Golden Retriever Rescue for 13 years and we found the same problem with the shelter workers.  There were times we would travel far and wide for what we were told was a "full blooded Golden"....only to find something different...sometimes WAY different.  You would think that a dog as recognizable as a Golden, wouldn't be a problem.  Add in the tons of recognized mixed breeds out there now....it sometimes becomes impossible to know what you are looking at.  I understand your frustration regarding shelters, but as Rescuers....we know it is a treasure hunt most of the time anyway.  When you find what you are seeking.....it is still rewarding.  You end up taking them out of that situation and saving a life.  It does something good to your soul to see them go into new homes and knowing you have done good.  I only wish they could all be saved.

[Richard Crowe]

One of my favorite sayings and the one I have on my Gmail signature is: 

Saving one dog won't change the world but, it will change the world for that dog!

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who works with rescues in any capacity!

 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Clancy has been accused of being an Otterhound by multiple people who have had them! I have looked at images and read descriptions of Otterhounds - not Clancy.  I guess even those of us who think they 'know' their breed, don't...  Thanks for rescuing that little guy anyway, Richard.  He was darling.

[Richard Crowe]

Here's the good looking little Jonathon who came into our home as a foster yesterday.  He seems at home and happy here.  Although he is ready to be adopted, we will keep him for a couple of weeks before he is up for adoption.  We like to give our rescue dogs a bit of time to adjust.

Here's what Jonathon looked like in the shelter.  This is a shelter I.D. photo.  That is a great idea.  Not all shelters do that...

 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

It is an fantastic transformation!!  It's amazing what some shampoo and scissors can do. 

It would also help if PetFinder would put in the 'mixes' to their list of what can be searched on and if the shelters would put in size and weight on a dog. I know that it would take a few minutes more per dog to post but it would help rescues have the info they need.